Setting up a Home Network - Continued
6/3/2010

The next phase of setting up a home network is to set up all the other computers you want on your network. Last week we discussed setting up a Windows XP and Windows 98/98SE/Me PC. Now we will have a look at setting up a Windows Vista and Windows 2000 PC.

In Vista: Vista’s network settings are somewhat different from Windows XP’s network settings, which means you might not be able to see Windows XP computers on your network right away. Some related differences include the default workgroup name (it’s MSHOME or WORKGROUP in Windows XP Home and Pro, respectively, but just WORKGROUP in Vista) and file sharing (Windows XP allows file sharing by default, but Vista doesn’t and prompts users for passwords when they access the default share folder). Another difference is that the default shared folder in Windows XP is Shared Documents and in Windows Vista it is called Public.

Next, you’ll need to make sure that your Vista PC is configured for a private network (it probably is). To do this, visit the Network and Sharing Center (Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then click Network and Sharing Center) and make sure Private Network appears next to the Network title. If it does, you’re all set. If it doesn’t, click Customize, name your network, click the Private radio button, and then click next. Finally, click Close.

Now that your network is a private network, return to the Network and Sharing Center and then configure the Sharing and Discovery settings so all PC’s can share files. To do this, click the arrow next to file sharing and then click the Turn On File Sharing radio button. Click Apply. Repeat this process for both Public Folder Sharing and Printer Sharing.

In some cases, you may still not be able to see Windows XP computers that are on your network. Microsoft is aware of this issue and has released a Windows update (for your Windows XP PC) that solves the problem. The LLTD (Link-Layer Topology Discovery) update is available at Microsoft’s support site (support.microsoft.com). Visit the site and search for KB922120.

Once you’ve downloaded the update and installed it on your Windows XP computer, you can check to make sure that it has properly installed by opening the Control Panel on your Windows XP PC and then clicking Network Connections. Right-click Local Area Network Connection, select Properties, and then make sure that the box next to Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder is checked.

Finally, return to your Vista PC and enter the Network and Sharing Center. Click View Full Map in the upper right corner of the Window. At this point, you should see your connected Windows XP computers.

In Windows 2000: Setting up a Windows 2000 connection begins with establishing an Internet connection. Open the Start menu, select Settings, and click Network and Dial-up Connections. In the Network and Dial-up Connections window, double-click Make New Connection.

When the Network Connection Wizard appears, click the Next button. You will then need to select a network connection type from the list. The reference to Dial-up Networks applies to high-speed connections such as cable and DSL, as well. In keeping with the settings we selected for the other computers in this network, select Dial-up to the Internet and click Next.

The wizard then asks for information regarding your Internet account. Because you will be using the shared Internet account, select the last option, I want to set up my Internet connection manually, or I want to connect through a local area network (LAN). Then click Next. In the next dialog box, select the I connect through a local area network (LAN) radio button and click Next. You will then de-select the automatic discovery of Proxy Server checkbox in the next window and click Next. Because you probably already have an email account, select the No option in the Set up a New E-mail Account field. Finally, click the Finish button.

When you return to the Network and Dial-up Connections dialog box, you will see a new network connection icon.

Now, right-click the new connection and click Properties. The Network Properties dialog box will appear and you can see a list of available services (such as NETBEUI, Internet Protocol [TCP/IP], Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing For Microsoft Windows) under the General tab.

Open the Properties dialog box for your connection and ensure that each component is selected. (There should be a check mark next to each one.) We will begin with the Internet Protocol component. Highlight this component in the list and click the Properties button. The obtain an IP address automatically and the obtain DNS Server address automatically radio buttons should be selected. If they are not, you will need to select them and then click on OK.

Back on the Windows Desktop, right-click the My Computer icon and select Properties. Select the Network Identification tab and click the Properties button. In the Identification Changes dialog box, you want to type in a name for your computer. Next, click the Workgroup button and type in the same workgroup name you used with the other computers you are setting up on this network. Click OK and Windows will prompt you to restart your computer.

This computer will now be part of the network once it reboots. Repeat this setup procedure for any other Windows 2000 computers you want to add to the network.

Share Resources

When it comes to sharing resources among computers on a network, the process is similar for all versions of Windows. You can use Windows Explorer to select the folder you want to share. Right-click the folder and select Sharing and Security from the pop-up menu. Select Share This Folder and give the resource a name that is easy for you to remember. Next, click Permissions, and put a check in the Allow or Deny checkbox for the Full Control, Change, or Read options. Follow this procedure for each folder you want to share from a computer.

The process for sharing printers is similar to sharing folders. Using the computer that is attached to the printer you want to share, open the Start menu, select settings, and click Printers. Right-click the printer you want to share and select Sharing. Select Shared As in the dialog box, assign a name to the printer, and click OK.

Repeat this process from each computer that has a folder or printer you want to share with other computers on your network.

See What Is Available

When you finish configuring each computer in your network, check the cables on each computer again to be sure they are secure, and check each computer to be sure you can identify the other computers on your network.

From your Windows XP computers, you’ll want to open the Start menu; click Start and then My Network Places. In the next window that appears, you should see the names of the other computers on your network. If you don’t see all of them, go to the Network Tasks list on the left of your screen and click View Workgroup Computers.

From your Windows 98/98SE/Me/2000 computers, double-click My Network Places on your Desktop. Double-click Computers near Me, and you will see all the computers that are attached to this workgroup. Double-click on any computer icon and you will see a list of resources that have been shared on that computer.

Now You Are Connected

Now that your computers are connected to your network, you can move and copy files from one computer to another, print on your shared printers, and access the Internet from all the attached PC’s. To protect your network from intrusions, be sure you have good antivirus software, such as Kaspersky or Norton Antivirus, installed on each of your networked computers.

Edition: 1051

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